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By:

Rashmi Kulkarni

23 March 2025 at 2:58:52 pm

Making a New Normal Feel Obvious

Normal is not what’s written. Normal is what repeats. The temple bell rings at the same time every day. Not everyone prays. Not everyone even walks in. Some people don’t care at all. And yet when that bell rings, the whole neighborhood syncs. Shops open, chores move, calls pause. The bell doesn’t convince anyone. It simply creates rhythm. That’s how “normal” is built inside a legacy MSME too. Not by speeches. By repetition. Quick recap: Week 1: You inherited an equilibrium. Week 2: People...

Making a New Normal Feel Obvious

Normal is not what’s written. Normal is what repeats. The temple bell rings at the same time every day. Not everyone prays. Not everyone even walks in. Some people don’t care at all. And yet when that bell rings, the whole neighborhood syncs. Shops open, chores move, calls pause. The bell doesn’t convince anyone. It simply creates rhythm. That’s how “normal” is built inside a legacy MSME too. Not by speeches. By repetition. Quick recap: Week 1: You inherited an equilibrium. Week 2: People resist loss, not improvement. Week 3: Status quo wins when your new way is harder. Week 4 is the next problem: even when your idea is good and even when it is easy, it can still fail because people don’t move together. One team starts. Another team waits. One person follows. Another person quietly returns to the old way. So, the old normal comes back … not because your idea was wrong, but because your new normal never became normal. Which Seat? • Inherited : people expect direction, but they only shift when they see what you consistently protect. • Hired : people wait for proof “Is this just a corporate habit you’ll drop in a month?” • Promoted : people watch whether you stay consistent under pressure. Now here’s the useful idea from Thomas Schelling: a “focal point”. Don’t worry about the term. In simple words, it means: you don’t need everyone convinced. You need one clear anchor that everyone can align around. In a legacy MSME, that anchor is rarely a policy document. It’s not a rollout email. It’s a ritual. Why Rituals? These firms run on informal rules, relationships, memory, and quick calls. That flexibility keeps work moving, but it also makes change socially risky. Even supportive people hesitate because they’re thinking: “If I follow this and others don’t, I’ll look foolish.” “If I share real numbers, will I become the target?” “If I push this new flow, will I upset a senior person?” “If I do it properly, will it slow me down?” When people feel that risk, they wait. And waiting is how the status quo survives. A focal ritual breaks the waiting. It sends one clean signal: “This is real. This is how we work now.” Focal Ritual It’s a short, fixed review that repeats with the same format. For example: a weekly scoreboard review (15 minutes) a daily dispatch huddle (10 minutes) a fixed purchase-approval window (cutoff + queue) The meeting isn’t the magic. The repetition is. When it repeats without drama, it becomes believable. When it becomes believable, people start syncing to it, even the ones who were unsure. Common Mistake New leaders enter with energy and pressure: “show impact”. So they try to fix reporting, planning, quality, procurement, digitization … everything. The result is predictable. People don’t know what is truly “must follow”. So everything becomes “optional”. They do a little of each, and nothing holds. If you want change to stick, pick one focal ritual and make it sacred. Not forever. Just long enough for the bell to become the bell. Field Test Step 1 : Pick one pain area that creates daily chaos: delayed dispatch, pending purchase approvals, rework, overdue collections. Step 2 : Set the ritual: Fixed time, fixed duration (15 minutes). One scoreboard (one page, one screen). Same three questions every time: – What moved since last time? – What is stuck and why? – What decision is needed today? One owner who closes the loop (decisions + due dates). Step 3 : Protect it for 8 weeks. Don’t cancel because you’re busy. Don’t skip because a VIP came. Don’t “postpone once” because someone complained. I’ve seen a simple weekly dispatch scoreboard die this exact way. Week one was sharp. By week three, it got pushed “just this once” because someone had a client visit. Week four, it moved again for “urgent work”. After that, nobody took it seriously. The old follow-ups returned, and the leader was back to chasing people daily. The first casual cancellation tells the system: “This was a phase”. And the old normal returns fast. One Warning Don’t turn the ritual into policing. If it becomes humiliation, people will hide information. If it becomes shouting, people will stop speaking. If it becomes a lecture, people will mentally leave. Keep it calm. Keep it consistent. Keep it useful. A bell doesn’t shout. It just rings. (The author is Co-founder at PPS Consulting and a business operations advisor. She helps businesses across sectors and geographies improve execution through global best practices. She could be reached at rashmi@ppsconsulting.biz)

Post H-1B Fee: Maharashtra’s IT Potential in Tier 2 & 3 Cities

The H-1B fee surge presents a unique opportunity for Maharashtra’s emerging IT hubs if backed by government incentives.

The United States’ recent decision to impose a one-time fee of $100,000 on new H-1B visa petitions from 21 September 2025. This move marks more than a regulatory change—it signals a global reset in sourcing technology talent. For decades, Indian IT professionals have been the backbone of the U.S. tech industry, but with this steep cost increase, firms will now seek more affordable alternatives.


This shift is an opportunity India—and particularly Maharashtra—cannot afford to miss. While Tier 1 hubs remain strong, the real potential lies in Maharashtra’s Tier 2 and 3 cities.


New Opportunities for India

For U.S. firms—or companies serving American clients—the cost of hiring Indian engineers in the United States can be prohibitive, with visa expenses adding up to $100,000 per hire. Offshore delivery centres in India, offering a 70–80 per cent cost advantage, present a more viable alternative.


India’s established outsourcing ecosystem, large English-speaking talent pool, and global reputation for reliable service delivery give it a clear edge over other destinations. IT growth is no longer limited to Tier 1 hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune; Tier 2 cities are increasingly able to support expansion, backed by improving infrastructure and a steady pipeline of skilled professionals.


Potential of Tier 2 Cities

Nagpur

  • MIHAN SEZ (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport) hosts Infosys, TCS, and Tech Mahindra.

  • Centrally located, equidistant from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata—ideal for logistics and data centres.

  • 25+ engineering colleges produce over 15,000 graduates annually.


Nashik

  • Traditionally an agro-industry and manufacturing hub, now emerging as a startup and IT centre.

  • Office rents are 60% lower than in Pune/Mumbai, attracting GCCs (Global Capability Centres).

  • Growing number of startups in fintech, agritech, and AI.

  • 8,000–10,000 graduates emerge annually from local and nearby colleges.


Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

  • Strong manufacturing base (auto, pharma, textiles) now expanding into IT.

  • AURIC Smart City offers plug-and-play IT infrastructure.

  • Government incentives include land, power, and tax concessions for IT firms.


Kolhapur

  • Traditionally agricultural and industrial, now moving into IT services and startups.

  • Large NRI community from the Gulf and Europe—potential for reverse investment.

  • A pleasant environment adds to its appeal.


Solapur

  • Known for textiles, now designated as a future IT cluster under Maharashtra’s 2023 IT Policy.

  • Low-cost land and government-backed incubation centres support growth.


To fully seize this opportunity, the Maharashtra government would need to roll out single-window clearance policies to attract companies—a step well within reach in today’s policy climate. This should be complemented by large-scale investment in IT parks across Tier 2 and Tier 3 hubs, along with incentives such as stamp duty and power tariff concessions. Offering tax holidays of five to seven years for companies setting up in IT clusters could further boost investor interest. At the same time, robust skill-development programmes to train thousands of youth annually, coupled with significant funding and support for research and development, would help build a sustainable ecosystem for long-term growth.


Startup & Innovation Ecosystem

Nashik and Nagpur have recorded a 300 per cent surge in startup registrations over the past five years. Entrepreneurs' focus has been on sectors such as FinTech, AI, EdTech, AgriTech, and EV solutions.


Government-backed incubators in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Solapur are helping nurture this momentum by offering seed funding and mentoring support. By 2030, Maharashtra’s smaller cities could collectively be home to more than 2,000 startups.


Seizing the Opportunity

The H-1B fee hike has made offshore outsourcing the most cost-effective option for U.S. companies. While Tier 1 Indian cities will remain at the forefront, Maharashtra’s Tier 2 and 3 hubs present the real opportunity. To unlock this potential, the government must focus on:


  • Infrastructure – Reliable power, internet, IT parks, and co-working spaces.

  • Talent Development – University tie-ups for AI, cloud, and cybersecurity training.

  • Policy Execution – Faster rollout of IT policy incentives.

  • NRI Engagement – Structured channels for diaspora investments.

  • Branding – Position Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as global IT destinations.


If executed well, Maharashtra could create 50,000–70,000 new IT jobs in smaller cities, driving significant economic gains and fostering more inclusive growth beyond Mumbai and Pune.

(The writer is a PHD in Human Resource Management based in Ahilya Nagar. Views personal.)

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